Earlier this year it was announced that Virginia State University was awarded the prestigious All-Steinway School designation — a recognition of their commitment to providing only pianos from the Steinway & Sons company for students and faculty to use.

Last month, during what has become known as Black Music Month in June, the university noted that its VSU Trojan Explosion Marching Band and VSU Percussion Studio has established a partnership with the renowned musical manufacturer Pearl Corporation. The partnership means that VSU will perform using instruments manufactured by this industry leader exclusively, states a university news release.

“I am truly excited to help establish the musical partnership between Pearl Drums, Adams Musical Instruments and Virginia State University,” said Dr. Lamon Lawhorn, assistant professor and coordinator of percussion studies. “Being able to practice, rehearse and perform with industry-leading equipment will allow our students the best opportunity to develop their own musical identity. As a Pearl artist, I am thankful for the years of support from Pearl/Adams and look forward to this new endeavor at VSU.”

The Pearl and Steinway announcements are in tune with VSU’s legacy of creating and performing important and significant music that touches lives throughout the world.

Indeed, many notable names have graduated from VSU’s music program in which artists such as Dr. Billy Taylor, Joe Bonner and others were nurtured and encouraged to be their best by the best. And if they did not graduate from VSU, they taught there.

Arguably the most noted alumni is the late Dr. Taylor, who died in 2010 at the age of 89. Although he graduated with a music degree in 1942 and went on to become one of jazz’s most influential African-American pianists, composers and educators with a recording career that spanned nearly 60 years, he began his studies at Virginia State College — now Virginia State University — as a sociology major. He changed paths when his talent was recognized and encouraged by renowned educator and composer Undine Smith Moore, who died in 1989 at the age of 84.

Mrs. Moore, a classically trained pianist, was hired by Virginia State College in 1927 and she spent more than 40 years composing vocal music and teaching piano, organ and music theory to students. She received numerous awards throughout her life, both for her choral works and her accomplishments as a music educator, which she once called “an art in itself.”

Dr. Taylor was not the only student to have been influenced by Mrs. Moore.

Several months ago, Dr. Weldon Hill recalled the contributions of Dr. Taylor and Mrs. Moore. Dr. Hill, a jazz pianist and composer retired from VSU in 2022 after nearly 20 years during which he served as a dean, provost and faculty member.

“I knew Billy Taylor of course. He was just such a consummate gentleman,” Dr. Hill said. “I took a lot of inspiration from him and the same is true of Undine Smith Moore, who encouraged composers.”

Although he did not attend VSU, Dr. Hill said the university played a role in his pursuit of a college degree and music, particularly after his mother sent young Weldon, then in second grade, to visit his cousin who was a student at Virginia State in the 1960s.

VSU alumnus Nelson R. Lawson, a 1975 graduate, also has fond memories of Mrs. Moore.

“Two of the people that were really important in my life as a musician and as a student at Virginia State were Dr. Undine Moore and Dr. F. Nathaniel Gatlin,” Mr. Lawson said during a telephone interview.

“[Dr. Moore] was a wonderful teacher. She taught music theory and when you came into her class, you had to have your situations prepared. I wouldn’t say she was a taskmaster; she made learning ... I could say fun, but you had to work very hard when you were in there.”

Mr. Lawson said Dr. Gatlin had a similar approach to teaching. He enamored himself to his students and ensured they left his classroom prepared for the world of a professional musician.

Dr. Gatlin also was indirectly responsible for Mr. Lawson’s choice of instrument — the French horn. During one of the Summer Music Institutes organized by Dr. Gatlin for high school students, they were taken to hear the Philadelphia Orchestra perform at Robin Hood Dell. What stood out was their performance of a Strauss piece, “Ein Heldenleben.”

“I could not believe the French horn playing that I heard,” Mr. Lawson said. “Here I was, a 15-year-old kid and I had tears just running down from my eyes when I heard the French horn player in the orchestra.”

Dr. Gatlin’s contributions to his career did not stop there, Mr. Lawson added.

“Thanks to Dr. Gatlin, I was able to perform throughout Germany, England, France — places like that. He was a person that would give you the opportunities that would make you want to do your best.”

Both men could rattle off many more names of those who helped and inspired them — Dr. O’Neill Sanford; Antoinette Handy; Louis Patterson; Harold Haughton; James Holden; Ethel Haughton; Mark Phillips.

And then the talk circled back to Mrs. Moore.

“The legacy at Virginia State is very strong. As a matter of fact, there has been some serious music research housed there and that was started by Undine Smith Moore,” Dr. Hill said. “It was a music hub — largely because of her presence and international reputation.”

Of course, Dr. Hill points out that VSU’s All-Steinway School designation is a big deal that will help attract outside artists, faculty and students to the school.

But it is also the faculty there now who serve as teachers, mentors and inspiration to student musicians such JaCari Diggs. The jazz classical pia-nist/composer plans to receive his undergraduate degree from VSU in the spring of 2024.

“I had never heard of Billy Taylor when I got here and didn’t realize the impact that he had on jazz, the jazz community and education in general,” he said in a recent phone interview. “It’s astounding to know that such a guy came from Virginia State University.”

He is quick; however, to name professors that have been influential to him such as Dr. Hill, James Gates and Russell Wilson. He mentions two assistant professors, Wellington Gordon and Dustin Painter, and the commercial music ensemble they started. Mr. Diggs became a member of the ensemble because students have the opportunity to premier their own compositions.

“It might be partly delusional, but I think it could happen. I want to be an EGOT winner,” he says, speaking of the acronym used for recipients of an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony awards. “Especially for my writing because, as much as I take pride in my playing, I really feel most confident in my writing.”

He credits the program with pushing him when he needs to be pushed and teaching him that your character is reflected in your musicianship.

“I could talk all day about the influence of Professor Gates and Dr. Hill, but it’s even the department as a whole,” Mr. Diggs said. “They don’t just teach you about music, they teach you about life. I really think the department does a great job of being a tight knit, familial unit.”

All of which will help ensure that its musical legacy will continue.